Upstanding flexible packing and method of manufacturing same

ABSTRACT

This flexible packing, notably for foods and like products, whether solid or liquid, is adapted to stand upright or substantially upright through the addition of a rigid element acting as a stand and consisting essentially of a pair of hingedly interconnected flaps, one flap being attached to one edge or wall of the packing.

United States Patent [191 Kuster UPSTANDING FLEXIBLE PACKING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME [76] Inventor: Ren Kuster, I-Ieimsbrunn, France [22] Filed: July 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 166,451

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 5, 1970 France 7029609 [52] US. Cl. 229/53, 93/8 WA, 206/4524, 248/150, 248/152 [51] Int. Cl B6511 61/00 [58] Field of Search 206/DIG. 8, 45.24;

40/152 .1; 93/8 WA, 35 R, 35 VL' [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1970 KlIy 229/55 [111 3,785,54 51 Jan. 15, 1974 1,151,382 Osborne 248/472 X 2,368,054 1/1945 Viglictta 40/1521 2,461,421 2/1949 Jacobus 248/472 X 2,647,680 8/1953 Vogt 229/53 3,043,422 7/1962 Daline 206/4524 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 365,419 2/1923 Germany 248/472 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-A. Kashnikow Att0rney-Robert E. Burns et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT This flexible packing, notably for foods and like products, whether solid or liquid, is adapted to stand upright or substantially upright through the addition of a rigid element acting as a stand and consisting essentially of a pair of hingedly interconnected flaps, one flap being attached to one edge or wall of the packing.

12 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures UPSTANDING FLEXIBLE PACKING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a container assembly or flexible packing of synthetic materials such as plastic, cellulose film, paper or other similar materials.

Flexible packings, notably small bags for displaying or preserving wide-selling perishable products such as roasted peanuts, spices, pretzels, chips and the like, are becoming extremely popular nowadays. However, these packings are frequently objectionable on account of the absence of a bottom wide enough to permit of laying them down or holding them in an upright position without resorting to movable or detachable auxiliary means such as display units, baskets or the like. Thus, when such products are offered for immediate consumption, they must be poured into a dish, or the open packing must be laid down on a suitable support. Therefore, the packing is kept in a horizontal position and the products tend to escape therefrom. Moreover, to extract the products from the packing the user must hold the latter with one hand and pick up the former with the other hand. 7

Obviously, these packings cannot hold a liquid prod uct for when opened and laid in a horizontal position this product would run out therefrom.

On the other hand, packings are also known which comprise a rigid bottom. However, the cost of these last-mentioned packings is relatively high and furthermore the handling and transport of these packings is scarcely convenient due to the loss of space and to the necessity of resorting to well-established storage or stacking methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To this end, the present invention provides a flexible,

bag-shaped packing or container-assembly adapted to stand substantially upright upon the top of a flat surface and which comprises a rigid foldable element acting as a stand and comprising a pair of flaps hingedly interconnected about a folding line, one of said flaps being rigid with a part of the packing such as one of the walls or one of the edges thereof.

This invention is also concerned with a method of manufacturing a packing of the type set forth hereinabove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A clearer understanding of this invention will be evident if reference is made to the accompanying drawing illustrating diagrammatically byway of illustration typical forms of embodiment of the invention. In the draw FIG. 1 is an elevational view from the rear of a flexible packing according to a first form of embodiment of the present invention FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the packing of FIG. 1, shown in a substantially vertical position FIG. 3 is an elevational view from the rear of a flexible packing according to a modified form of embodiment of this invention FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the packing shown in FIG. 3, according to a first form of embodiment of the rigid supporting element FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the use of a modified form of embodiment of the rigid supporting element FIG. 6 is an-elevational view from the rear showing a flexible packing according to this invention according to a third form of embodiment thereof, and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the packing shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT It will be noted that the various forms of embodiment described hereinafter should not be construed as limiting the field of the invention, and that the choice of the material utilized therefor and the mode of fastening the rigid supporting element are immaterial.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the container assembly or flexible packing consists broadly of a sack or flexible container 1 having two rectangular walls 2, 3 assembled along their edges and forming therebetween a closed space adapted to contain the product to be packaged and the flexible container possesses insufficient rigidity to support and maintain itself in an upright position or condition when charged with the product. The flexible container 1 carries at least on its rear wall 3 a rigid support element 4, of substantially rectangular configuration, consisting of a pair of flaps 5, 6 interconnected along a fold line 8. The first flap 5 is rigid with the major face of the'rear wall 3 of the container l and the other flap 6 is adaptedto be bent away from the container along the fold or folding line 8, so that its lower edge 7 lies beyond the vertical plane tangent to the back face of the packing. This lower edge 7 of the lower or movable flap 6 and the lower edge 10 of the container 1 lie of course on a commmon horizontal plane. The container 1 thus obtained is therefore held in a position slightly inclined to the rear in relation to a vertical plane, and is retained in a substantially upright condition upon the top of'a generally flat surface by the flap 6 of the rigid supporting element acting somewhat like a stand.

To prevent the support element 4 from collapsing or folding in, one or a plurality of stiffening elements or rods 11, 12, may be provided along the edges of flaps 5, 6. According to a particularly advantageous form of embodiment, the rigid element 4 is prepared as follows two planar bands of paper, pasteboard, cellulose film or other similar planar materials are glued in superposed relationship. Between these bands, one or two rods 11, 12, for example in the form of iron wires are inserted. Thus, an element adapted to be rolled or cut subsequently into sections of predetermined length is obtained. The rigid element may also consist of sheet metal or foil.

Under normal handling, transport or packaging conditions, the various containers are simply superposed or stacked flat, and it is only before their actual use that the flap 6 is unfolded (FIG. 2) to hold the container in a substantially vertical position.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5 of the drawings, a modified form of embodiment is illustrated therein which comprises a rigid support element 4 consisting of a pair of flaps 5, 6 hingedly interconnected about a folding line 8, with flap 6 secured along its edge 7 to the lower edge 10 of the container. Thus, the supporting element 4 is secured to the packing 1 only along a hinge line 7,10. Consequently, the rigid element 4 can be disposed along the conainer l for storage purposes. The rigid element 4 may also be folded along the folding line 8. The endmost flap 5 may contain an orifice 13 or like suspension means permitting of hanging the container 1 from a rod, wire, nail or other means through the medium of the rigid element 4. As shown in FIG. 4, this rigid element 4 may be folded to cause its sections 5, 6 to form an inverted V. The container 1 laying on a supporting surface through its lower edge 10 bearing against the flap 6 extending upwards to the folding line 8, the other flap 5 acting as a stand or leg by extending downwards from the folding line 8 to the supporting surface.

Referring to FIG. 5, the flap 6 extends horizontally from the lower edge 10 of container 1, on the supporting surface, and acts as a base to the assembly, the container 1 bearing on the other hand against the edge 14 of the other flap 5 extending upwards and forwards from the folding line 8, as shown.

In thee two last-mentioned examples the rigid element 4 is folded along a folding line 8 perpendicular to the longitudinal edges l5, 16, of container 1.

In the modified form of embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 the rigid element 24 has the shape of a parallelogram with two minor horizontal sides, i.e., an upper minor side 18 and a lower minor side 20. It is folded along a vertical folding line 17 parallel to the longitudinal edges l5, 16 of the container, which constitutes one of the diagonals of the parallelogram. The folding line 17 will thus divide the parallelogram into two halves, i.e., triangular flap 21 secured to the packing 1 and another triangular flap 22 pivoted to the former about a folding line 17. Thus a stand similar to that of a frame for pictures, photographs, etc. is obtained. In the present instance the rigid element 4 and packing l are interconnected along the upper horizontal minor side 18 and the inclined side 19 underlying the minor side, as shown.

Of course, it will rea'dily occur to those conversant with the art that the rigid element 4 may also consist of a rod of U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, having its two wings rigid with the lower end of the packing and also acting as a handle therefor.

The container assembly according to this invention may be manufactured by providing a device comprising a band, tape or strip from which the bag proper may be formed, and another continuousweb for making the rigid elements, this web being obtained by preshaping and comprising for example an upper band, inner reinforcing wires and a lower band, the three layers being assembled and fastened to each other through any suitable and known means. The second web is directed towards the former and as the bag end is closed the second web is properly positioned in relation thereto to constitute the rigid element thereof. Then, the rigid element is cut to the desired length. This element may also be cut beforehand and stacked in a dispensing unit overlying the bag-forming hand.

Although the invention is described with reference to specific and typical forms of embodiment, it will be readily understood that many modifications and variations may be brought thereto without departing from the basic principle of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Flexible, bag-shaped packing adapted to be laid on a substantially flat surface and to stand substantially upright, which comprises a rigid foldable element acting as a stand and comprising a pair of flaps hingedly interconnected about a folding line, one of said flaps being rigid with one of the wall and edge portions of said packing, and wherein said rigid element comprises an upper strap, a lower strap, and reinforcing elements in the form of rigid elements interposed between said straps, said straps and reinforcing elements constituting a unitary structure. I

2. Flexible packing according to claim 1, wherein the foldable rigid element is of rectangular configuration and the folding line is perpendicular to the major longitudinal edges of the packing.

3. Flexible packing according to claim 1, wherein the other flap contains suspension means for hanging the packing to a support.

4. Flexible packing according to claim 1, wherein said foldable rigid element has the configuration of a parallelogram having two minor horizontal sides and the folding line of the pair of triangular flaps, which is a diagonal of said parallelogram, is parallel to the longitudinal major sides of the packing.

5. A container assembly comprising: a flexible container for containing a product during use of the container assembly and having insufficient rigidity to support itself in an upright condition when charged with the product; and support means coacting with said container for supporting same in a substantially upright condition upon the top of a generally flat surface, said support means comprising a foldable support element attached to said container and foldable along a fold line into two support flaps which coact with said container and have sufficient rigidity to support said container in a substantially upright condition upon the top of a generally flat surface.

6. A container assembly according to claim 5; including means attaching one of said flaps at one major face thereof to said container.

7. A container assembly according to claim 5', including means attaching one of said flaps along one edge thereof to said container.

8. A container assembly according to claim 5; wherein one of said flaps is provided with suspending means for suspending the container assembly from a support.

9. A container assembly according to claim 5; wherein said foldable support element has a rectangular configuration and said fold line extends in the horizontal direction during use of the container assembly.

10. A container assembly according to claim 5; wherein said foldable support element has the configuration of a parallelogram having two minor horizontal sides and two oblique major sides and said fold line comprises a diagonal of said parallelogram and extends in the vertical direction during use of the container assembly.

11. A container assembly according to claim 5; wherein said foldable support element comprises a foldable planar member having therein at least one stiffening element.

12. A container assembly according to claim 11; wherein said planar member comprises a unitary structure composed of a pair of super-posed strips having interposed therebetween said stiffening element.

It i i k 

1. Flexible, bag-shaped packing adapted to be laid on a substantially flat surface and to stand substantially upright, which comprises a rigid foldable element acting as a stand and comprising a pair of flaps hingedly interconnected about a folding line, one of said flaps being rigid with one of the wall and edge portions of said packing, and wherein said rigid element comprises an upper strap, a lower strap, and reinforcing elements in the form of rigid elements interposed between said straps, said straps and reinforcing elements constituting a unitary structure.
 2. Flexible packing according to claim 1, wherein the foldable rigid element is of rectangular configuration and the folding line is perpendicular to the major longitudinal edges of the packing.
 3. Flexible packing according to claim 1, wherein the other flap cOntains suspension means for hanging the packing to a support.
 4. Flexible packing according to claim 1, wherein said foldable rigid element has the configuration of a parallelogram having two minor horizontal sides and the folding line of the pair of triangular flaps, which is a diagonal of said parallelogram, is parallel to the longitudinal major sides of the packing.
 5. A container assembly comprising: a flexible container for containing a product during use of the container assembly and having insufficient rigidity to support itself in an upright condition when charged with the product; and support means coacting with said container for supporting same in a substantially upright condition upon the top of a generally flat surface, said support means comprising a foldable support element attached to said container and foldable along a fold line into two support flaps which coact with said container and have sufficient rigidity to support said container in a substantially upright condition upon the top of a generally flat surface.
 6. A container assembly according to claim 5; including means attaching one of said flaps at one major face thereof to said container.
 7. A container assembly according to claim 5; including means attaching one of said flaps along one edge thereof to said container.
 8. A container assembly according to claim 5; wherein one of said flaps is provided with suspending means for suspending the container assembly from a support.
 9. A container assembly according to claim 5; wherein said foldable support element has a rectangular configuration and said fold line extends in the horizontal direction during use of the container assembly.
 10. A container assembly according to claim 5; wherein said foldable support element has the configuration of a parallelogram having two minor horizontal sides and two oblique major sides and said fold line comprises a diagonal of said parallelogram and extends in the vertical direction during use of the container assembly.
 11. A container assembly according to claim 5; wherein said foldable support element comprises a foldable planar member having therein at least one stiffening element.
 12. A container assembly according to claim 11; wherein said planar member comprises a unitary structure composed of a pair of super-posed strips having interposed therebetween said stiffening element. 